|
Others, of course, will see it as a chance to rectify the embarrassment of 4 days ago. However, West Ham welcome back Jermaine Defoe and David Connolly from suspension - possibly the two finest strikers in Division One. For a defence worryingly thin, it is not good news at all. Things won't better in the near future either, with May ruled out for 3 more weeks with a reoccurrance of the hamstring troubles which plagued him towards the end of his United career. May would have sat this one out anyway, he is suspended.
Arthur Gnohere has returned to Burnley. He was on immediate callback from QPR, after his loan was extended a few weeks ago, and with the defensive shambles on display midweek manager Stan Ternent really had no choice. Arthur has been in scintillating form for Rangers, scoring in the LDV trophy match midweek. Hopefully, we will see the return of the 'King' of old, as he will certainly come straight into the side.
The Hammers have lost just 2 matches this season and currently lie 4th on the table. They put on a less than impressive display against Norwich midweek, but managed to escape with a point in a 1-1 draw at home.
Thank you for joining me this afternoon. Please scroll down for team lists inclusive of goals, subs and cards, and also half-time Division 1 scores.
Pre-Match:
5 Subs for once!
Apologies for the black text, there have been some errors which I do not have time to correct, hopefully you can still bear with me.
West Ham kicking-off right to left.
Chadwick down the left, a 5-4-1 formation.
Match:
1' James clears the lines for West Ham, massive kick goes out for a Burnley goal-kick.
2' Camara dragged down his man, a free-kick to West Ham. Swung in by Quinn, but the ball goes out harmlessly for a goal-kick...Veevers criticises Jensen.
3' Chadwick has a chance, getting forward but his shot is blocked.
4' Long shot from Defoe, Jensen made the save, couldn't hold it but West was there to put it out for a corner. Criticism of Jensen, perhaps should have held it, but he made the save. Corner came in, Dailly made a real hash of his shot, unmarked in the box and some questions asked again of the marking. Really should have hit the target, should Dailly.
5' Repka fed Connolly, who went through however it was given offside, Jensen made a great save too.
6' Burnley attack comes to an end as James deals with the danger.
7' Free-kick to Burnley after Blake was fouled. Blake tries outrageously from 35 yards and James isn't tested, makes the easy catch.
8' Defoe penalised for a foul, as West Ham come forward.
9' Blake tries to get through but Carrick got in well, comes to Etherington who clears - Ian Moore caught his man late and was lucky to get away with it.
10' Branch slips, Etherington knocked a ball into the box, well done by Jensen...great anticipation. Bowls it out quickly, but comes to nothing.
12' Defoe fouled by West. Notably, Gnohere seems to be doing well.
13' Camara getting forward again, his ball to Blake not good enough though.
14' Gnohere fed Blake, on to Chaplow but his ball for Facey overhit, and Del was offside anyway.
15' Connolly skips away from his man, and gets around Jensen and scores. But he's offside! "One or two fans thought it was a goal" said Phil Bird, as the crowd absolutely roared.
15' Weller gave the ball away poorly, but got back and won it back, great endeavour.
16' Corner to West Ham. Ball in for Dailly, but under pressure from Facey couldn't do anything with his header.
17' Defoe caught offside, either we're lucky or playing the offside trap exceptionally well.
18' Good chance fpr Burnley, Weller perhaps should have had a shot, but elected to square it to Blake.
19' Blake looking to create something for Burnley, but dwelled too long, West Ham come down on the counter, Branch got in well and stopped the attack.
21' Ball given away from Weller, Defoe came through ahead of Gnohere, Jensen made a good block, but Connolly was able to get to the crumbs first and scored. One-Nil West Ham - Disappointing to concede now, identical time to Counago's opener midweek.
23' Burnley up against it, Connolly coming forward again, but Gnohere did well to get back and made the tackle. Possibly offside, Connolly's goal.
24' Cross in by Repka, and well caught by Jensen.
25' Burnley up against another attack, Weller blocks it.
25' Chance for Burnley, ball into the box FACEY! oh, it was blocked by James, out for a corner. Where's Arthur... corner in, knocked away. Back to Blake, the taker, but out for a goal-kick.
26' Clarets may look to make a change, Weller possibly taken a knock.
27' Chadwick, skipping through the defence...great run, oh and brought down blatantly by Repka! Repka goes into the book, lovely run by Chadwick.
28' Weller has picked up a knock, and is coming off...Grant coming on.
28' Blake's ball in, headed away, comes back to him has a shot from 40, never going to trouble James from there, poor shot too.
29' Foul by Camara on Carrick, after losing out when the ball needed to be whipped into the box.
30' Grant into the book for a foul (high foot) hasn't even touched the ball yet.
31' Clarets don't deal with the free-kick properly, lucky to get away with it as Pearce fouled his man.
31' Chaplow makes a great tackly to quash a Hammers attack.
32' Branch goes on a bit of a run, comes to Blake who skipped by a few men but his shot was easily saved.
33' Error from the Clarets, Connolly was one on one against Jensen and a superb save from the Beast, then managed to punch the ball clear. Fantastic save, has kept Burnley in the game.
35' Chance for Burnley but Chaplows header straight into the arms of James.
36' Clarets pressing hard on the Hammers backmen, eventually cleared by James.
37' Defoe got away from his man, fed by Lee but smacked it over the bar.
37' Connolly caught offside. Jensen slips as he takes his kick.
38' Gnohere finds Blake, who knocks it to Chaplow who hit a good shot but comfortably saved
39' GOOOOAL!!! DELROY FACEY AGAIN! Good work from Chadwick, got away from the defender, found Moore, clipped it past James and Facey knocked it home COME ON BURNLEY 1-1!!!
40' Sloppy football on the left, eventually goes out for a West Ham throw. To the tunes of No Nay Never from the travelling Clarets.
41' Throw into box, Defoe hits the deck, referee wants none of it.
42' Grant a chance to set something up, finds Blake...but offside. Ian Moore catching out West Ham with pace.
43' West makes another good block, playing well at right back.
43' Ball in from Alexandersson who got by Camara, and Defoe made an absolutely dreadful miss...should have scored.
44' Chance for Burnley! Ian Moore got away from his man, should have shot but looked to square it for Blake...oh a real chance, somehow got by James.
45' Hammers on the counter attack, Defoe got away, ball headed away, shot from Alexandersson who smacked it into Camara's face. Camara needs some treatment. Phew, what a little burst of action!
45' 2 Minutes of time added on.
46' Defoe has a chance, but couldn't get anything behind his header.
47' Blake, a chance, gets by Dailly in the box but couldn't pull the trigger...Ternent not at all happy, with Chaplow open.
Half time 1-1 - Good 45 for Burnley
Second Half
45' Clarets get the half underway
46' Connolly hit the bar! We didn't deal with the ball into the box and he rifled his shot into the cross bar. Error was from Branch.
47' Chaplow gives it away from Connolly, chance for West Ham - Camara dealt with the danger. Ball back in, Grant managed to win the ball despite penalty shout from the crowd.
47' Camara to Chadwick, holds it up, but Camara runs into him, ball is given away and it comes to nothing. Attendance: 31,474
48' Burnley on the counter, Blake's ball couldn't find Facey. West Ham on the counter ETHERINGTON! Oh 'hell of a save' from Jensen, sensational from the Beast!
49' "I don't think this will stay 1-1" says Bird, header from Dailly over the bar.
50' Clarets attack comes to nothing, Repka and Pearce deal with the danger from Chadwick though.
51' Ian Moore got away, and Quinn sliced him down. He'll go into the book as well, a really poor challenge. Blake will take the free kick, knocks it for Ian Moore, back to West, to Chaplow the ball in cut out by James.
52' Chance for Burnley, Camara's cross too deep.
53' Branch in strongly on Connolly, free-kick to West Ham.
54' Chance for Ian Moore, tried to knock it past Quinn and go, but Quinn just got there first.
55' Lee coming forward for Hammers, Etherington away, Ian Moore puts in a good challenge. Corner, nearly in...comes back Jensen makes a good punch. West Ham retain possession, home crowd getting tense.
57' Attack for Burnley, looking promising, good work from Facey.
58' Crowd is irate with their side.
58' Defoe offside.
59' Corner to West Ham, Jensen punches it away, could have caught it though.
60' Chance for Ian Moore, but he was offside when Blake released the ball.
62' Eventless over the last few minutes, no clear cut chances.
62' Substitution for West Ham, Mellor (striker) on for Quinn (striker)
63' Free-kick to West Ham after an infringement. Ball in, Jensen comes and collects.
64' Connolly with a chance, blocked by Camara.
64' West makes a great challenge on Etherington, corner. Short corner from West Ham, Defoe swings in a ball, Pearce...SAVED by Jensen, another good block. Looked offside though.
65' Corner for West Ham, caught well by Jensen.
66' Defoe again caught offside, ball from Etheringon.
67' Good work from Moore, very lively, and he wins a corner.
67' Everyone back for West Ham, corner in but James takes it with ease. Clearance finds Jensen after 1 bounce.
68' Camara in well, puts it out for a throw.
68' Dailly goes into the book for a late tackle on Ian Moore. Free-kick to the Clarets, 30-yards from own goal, Jensen will take.
70' Facey's ball in and cleared, Defoe looked offside...ran through, Branch lunged in on Defoe, corner given. VERY controversial moment, referee appeared to make a good decision. Corner caught by Jensen.
71' Camara pulled the trigger from 30 but it was a really poor effort.
72' Again Defoe looked offside, and JENSEN what a save, another fantastic block. An absolute hero this afternoon, whoever said Bring Back Beresford should most certainly not have doubted the beast. Brilliant.
73' Moore, getting forward, ball in, crowd went silent as Facey went down, but it wasn't given.
73' Defoe dives, referee not influenced whatsoever, needs a booking I think.
74' Pearce with a back post header, well wide.
75' Jensen comes out and nips it off Connollys toes, well done again.
75' Clarets hanging on by the skin of their teeth against the Hammers who have 3 up front.
76' Moore fouls his man, probably lucky not to go into the book. Ball forward, Jensen makes an error, the Beast very dark on himself, as he dropped it when he came out.
77' Goal-kick to Burnley, Repka irate. Blake just caught offside.
77' Farrelly about to come on, warming up on the bench.
77' Jensen communicates well with Gnohere, and collects the loose ball into the box.
78' Farrelly coming on for Robbie Blake, who doesn't at all look pleased. Tactical move, Ian Moore up front 4-4-2 we might be chasing the game here.
79' Good defending by Burnley, Chaplow did well up against Connolly.
80' Oh my word, Grant hit the woodwork...I thought it was in, i really thought it was in...let me compose myself....
81' AHHHH GOOOOAALALLL!! IAN MOORE HIT IT AGAINST JAMES, GOT TO CRUMS SCORED 2-1!!!! OWN-GOAL!?!?! WHATEVER ITS 2-1!!!
82' Branch makes a vital clearance!
84' It was a super ball from Farrelly...oh look, to hell with what's happening, we're up 2-1 still...
85' Huchinson scored. 2-2, devestated. Hit a rifling shot first time left foot volley.
86' Free-kick to Burnley, Farrelly was fouled.
87' Facey offside.
88' Gnohere has some work to do, Connolly claimed he was fouled, goalkick to Burnley.
89' Massively tense finale, Camara makes an error out for a throw.
90' Dailly looking for Defoe, Branch cut it out, back to Jensen, long and away.
90' Connolly in possession, ball for Etherington, comes to Lee on halfway, to Repka, Chaplow great challenge, Facey has a do, into the arms of James.
91' Another chance for Burnley, Lee made a mistake, Ian Moore and Grant couldn't capitalize, 3 mins of time on by the way.
'92 Facey, gets by Pearce, takes it to the byline, cuts it back eludes Moore, James gathers, rolls out Camara lunges on Defoe who dived infront of the managers, Camara into the book...blatant cheating from Defoe.
93' Grant has it, knocks it away, comes to nothing, just under a minute to go.
93' Gnohere deals with the danger, heads it away. Looks like the end. Lee getting forward, swings it in, Defoe handballed it into the post! But the referee spotted it and it's a free-kick to Burnley. What a belting game.
Full time, and what an absolute belter of a Football game, and absolute joy to be listening to. Grant hit the post, Moore put us 2-1 up, but in the end we had to settle fot a point. A fantastic result, nevertheless.
Thanks for joining me, until next time bye for now.
West Ham United:
1 David James
14 Wayne Quinn -> '63 (Yellow '51)
7 Christain Dailly (Yellow '69)
19 Ian Pearce
2 Thomas Repka
12 Matthew Etherington
20 Niclas Alexandersson ->'83
6 Michael Carrick
5 Rob Lee
9 Jermaine Defoe
8 David Connolly ('21)
Subs:
32 Steven Bywater
22 Matthew Kilgallen
15 Anton Ferdinand
33 Neil Mellor <- '63
Burnley:
1 Brian Jensen
15 Dean West
17 Arthur Gnohere
6 Graham Branch
3 Mo Camara (Yellow '90)
8 Robbie Blake -> '78
4 Paul Weller -> '28
20 Richard Chaplow
18 Luke Chadwick
10 Ian Moore ('81)
19 Delroy Facey ('39)
Subs:
21 Matty O'Neill
22 Joel Pilkington
12 Tony Grant <- '28 (Yellow '30)
Scores From Around Division One:
Coventry 1-3 Cardiff [FT]
Crewe 3-0 Derby [FT]
Crystal Palace 1-1 Rotherham [FT]
Ipswich 0-0 Stoke
Millwall 2-0 Sheffield Utd [FT]
Nottingham Forest 6-0 Wimbledon [FT]
Reading 3-2 Preston [FT]
Sunderland 1-0 Walsall [FT]
Watford 1-0 Bradford [FT]
West Brom 1-0 Norwich [FT]
West Ham 2-2 Burnley [FT]
Wigan 1-0 Gillingham [FT]